New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-27
WAGNER'S TRAITS AND WORK

| prNINIsCENCES BY HERR ANTON SEIDE.
Anton Seidl who Yesterday closed brilliant period
of two seast MS conductor mt the Metropoii.an
| Opera House. and who will now go to Berlin 10 Nil
like positon presumably for lie, at the RoJ al opera
House should consider himself fortunate man, II at
the aoe of only thirty six years an artist who mas
attained the recognition which Herr Sedl has met IN
this country as well abroad is to no esteemed
fortunate and if he also possess. Herr Seid surely
does the hearty good will and affection OF all
colaborers with whom he has been associated.
Herr Seid was horn in Buda-Pesth in 1880. He is
triae under medium height. compactly built OF
identified demeanOr and his face shows a singular
combination Of youth, perspicacity, calm and IN
Ae xibe determination AID strength OF character lines
which betoken hard student, n philosopher with
kindly leaning toward the truly Lord ngs OF earth,
and especially noteworthy, countenance which has
behind it q huge reserve tore, which Is express
sye in tho silence of the tongue and which carries the
impression that the man could open his mouth ana tell
q vast deal.
Herr s,.idl il particularly noted among his asso
81 tea for his ouietnrss aud HIS absolute rt edom from
ostentation He likes to listen to Others ana IL IS
clear that he il taking it all in When ms time 10 10
,b talking comes he il ready an lie does 1t e1ectui-
10 Uis camness expands into geniality among
friends and into an electric carrying power with the
orchestra Musicians like to be led by him, tor his
force permeates the orchestra ana makes
/, nibus,astic in its work when Conductor seidi
leads.
Herr Seidl dresses with great care, yet with sim
nlcitv lie wears glasses and his long raven locks
a a ,yt c,retuv back above his ears, only falling in
disorder when he gives way to tho charm OF the baton
The conductor ia living at No. lOS West Thirty
eightlst,, and there recently he entered into con-
vcrsaton about the personal traits OF Richard Wagner,
his manner oil composing, and particularly spoke OF MS
oenius as n conductor Herr Seidl evidently gave
anne interesting truths abont himself Tie said
II was in my tncntieth year that l resolved to
adopt music profession. | had studied music
from childhood, having natural aptitude Tor H. ana
in he mere matter OF pianoforte playing had made
sufcient progress at twelve OF age to appear
in ublic concerts. had finished the usual hgh-schoOl
and university studios when made up my mind TO
earn . livelihood with music. ! now went TO Leipsic
md entered the Conservatory whcro for year and
half studied counterpoint and composition zraously
Then Hans Richter went to Pesth a. Kdpemester
and lett the conservatory to bee ONE his pupil L
studied the works of Wagner and Beethoven with him
and TOOK lessons in the art of conducng. In 1872
vert with him 20 Bayreuh to attend tho ceremony OF
LAYING the cornerstone OF the Wagner theatre. The
impressions made on my MINI on that Occasion were
SO tremendous that resolved at any cost to get
70 Wagner Tho opportunity offered much quicker
than expected. At the cornerstone laying Wagner
said TO Richter:
a. Send young musician who can carry out my
intentions AID ala in the musical work essential to the
preparations Tor my Nibrlungen representations
Richter asked me whether mas minded to 1--we aud
study few wears IN Bayreuth. OF course ! leaned
for i0y nj the prospect, and after few months
of study went 10 BaYrcuth III the autumn OF 1877.
The six years during which lived In the house and
determined my whole future. Nv mode OF thought,
the manner in which henceiorrard conceived every
thing, the vigor with which, thereafter ] attacked
everything all had their origin in that gracious and
blessed hou.c where, with the utmost simplicity and
naturalness all continually tor the loest and
mos. ideal IN life and art The cOmpanonship OF that
great eraruaking was 30 fascinating that all who
had the good fortune 10 be able TO gaze upon him IN
the last few remaining years OF his HE agree that In
him God created one OF his greatest men. When |
10 Bay reuth toe master wns al engaged on the
composition OF Die Gotterdammcrung. He had just
finished the sketch OF the last scene OF the third act
On ono OF the first evenings lew triehds were
gathered together, when Wagner carving his cvmLo
-ition in portfolio under his entered the room,
BIO we'd with mock solemnity. and modesty the
panv and bccgeo their kind indulgence and mild udg
ment on the now work. Then with n comcally
serious face he seated himself at the piano and tho
reading began Envcning episodes like this happened
by the thousands and mark tho natural merry
scntant and witty manner OF the master when IN
the midst OF his friends and Disciples On the occa
sion in question enioyed the hrst privilege youch-
safcd 10 mortal to hear the mighty, catac ysmic
sounds OF the funeral music and the broad, world
redesming harm' ME, OF Brunhilde's' last address
In tho &" Gott.rdammerung."
II l. impossible to speak with certainty about
" agncr's manner of composing. He often laughed
had visited and found with long pipe IN his mouth
engaged In completing IL svmp ony and who had
complaccntly shown hs composition, turning back
ward and forward among the pages and crying out
while designating certain passages Here there is
quiet now IL grows angry; now II u becoming dra
mat here | let loose a thunderbolt here we begin
the down grade ana now quiet again, the last
word coming through clou d OF tobacco smoke. II is
not necessary to say that Wagner could never com
pose in this manner glance into bis scores will
disclose the exalted sefousncss with which he APP
p.oachod hs task and the supercarthV regions in
which he scared en- he created his ideal characters.
IIy the time that he had written the poem OF ms
drama during tho work on which. OF course, much
of the music was originated in his mind he had
already noted down "a great number of the musical
thoughts ION loose poccs OF music paper. These
notes lac made in pencil and there must be vast
number OF them in existence which ale being anxousy
yed Tor late posterity by Frau Co>ma Wagner. She
has gradually gone over oil OF them With ina, other
wise the majority them would have become illeg
ibe Only a few boast OF having received one
OF these little sketches as souvenirs or reward from
the ma -tcr in some moment of peculiarly good humor
After a considerable space had interviewed since the
completion OF the poem and he had given himself
in his family circle until o'clock in the afternoon
From clockln the horning until = in the alter
noon ne worked almost without interruption some
times even longer. After dinner he rested either tax
ing a walk IN tho open air attending to his private
correspondence This lasted until O'Clock, when
supper was eaten. Then the whole family met in the
music Dom to pass the time till or II clock with
music alternating with conversation and the reading
OF essays. These evenings form tho subjects ol the
mos, VIVID recocctoLs OF my lite. In one OF them II
was often possible Tor me to learn more than all the
couservatories or great musicians could oner. 10
hear the master occasions ike this talk about
Bach Beethoven, Mozart, Weber, Mdrschner, Spon-
tint or Arbcr and Rossini explain their music,
sonally illustrating what he said Mt tho panoiortc
by singing dissect their styles o! appreciate them by
the po of his own genius, was 80 instructive and
80 amazing that SAW everything in strange,
magical sort of light aud my understanding such
masters Tor instance, Bach, Beethoven. and
Weber took course whose existence had never
even snspcctcd but from which will never swcrve.
That this course is the only correct to follow in
the Interpretation OF the works OF these masters is
proven by the success OF Wagner aud Won iulow in
ihc producton of Beethovrns works with the entire
cultured portion the public | follow cd it, too. in
INV concerts. This mode OF Interpretation - not an
arbitrary or accidental distortion of tho tempt but he
nroduct OF ripe, thorough and minute study of the
compositions | am ready to advocate and defend all
tbat undertake in this respect.
am convinced that Beethoven never made any
mctronomo music and that consequently his sym
lonies are not to no played according to the metro
noun We have too many proofs OF his manner OF
conflicting have firm ground tor believing that
oItLough Beethoven put many marks OF
nrc,son Ia his music than Mozart, for instance, he